Peace and debate - I think it is a logical combination.

Registration is now open for the World Universities Peace Invitational Peace Tournament, to be held next March on Langkawi, Malaysia. The organizers are H&G Strategic Communications, the Malaysia Ministry of Tourism,  the Malaysia Women’s Empowerment Movement and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

For information, you can contact Mohammed Yunus at yunus@hngsc.com . The website is at http://www.wupid.hngsc.com/ . You can download a schedule at http://debate.uvm.edu/dcpdf/worldpeacetourn07.pdf .

The tournament plans to have an internationally competitive event but also use the gathering to promote peace and intercultural understanding. Other events will include an opening address by Dr. Omar Salahuddin of Atticus International, presentations of debate as a development for skills by non-native English speakers by Logan Belavijendran and Timm Sonnreich, a workshop by Mohammed Abdul Latif of International Islamic University, as well as workshop sessions by Saiful Amin Julan of H&G Strategic Communications, Kim Little, President of Free Debate Inc., Praba Ganesan of Balairakyat.org and Andrew Chapman of the government of Australia will also make presentations. Oddly enough, the keynote speech will be delivered by me, Alfred Snider, on the topic “Replacing weapons with words: personal and institutional challenges.” My thanks to the organizers for inviting me and bringing me to Malaysia.

Here is the speaker schedule from their website:

Debating International Relations: A Case Study

DR. OMAR SALAHUDDIN ABDULLAH
Executive Chairman,
Aticus International Kuala Lumpur Sdn. Bhd.

Replacing Weapons With Words: Personal and Institutional Challenges

DR. ALFRED CHARLES SNIDER
Director,
World Debate Institute
University of Vermont, USA

The Role of International Tournaments in Supporting the Development of non-Native English Speakers

LOGAN BALAVIJENDRAN
Former President,
Australasian Intervarsity Debating Association

TIM SONNREICH
Founding Editor,
Monash Debate Review

MUHAMMAD ABDUL LATIF
Director,
Speech and Interpersonal Communication Enhancement Department
International Islamic University, Malaysia

Proposal Evaluation: The First Phase Approach

SAIFUL AMIN JALUN
Principal,
H&G Strategic Communications Sdn. Bhd.

Debating in Building Social Capital and Developing Disadvantaged Communities

KIM LITTLE
President,
Free Debate Inc.

The Conflict of Persuasion and Correctness in a Debate: The Moral and Practicality Elements

PRABA GANESAN
Co-Author,
Guide to Panel Duscussion World Universities Debating Championship

Ethical Practices in Competitive Debating

ANDREW STUART CHAPMAN
Legal Advisor,
Australian Government's Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

The tournament will have seven rounds and will break to octafinals. Wednesday March 21 will be a free ay to enjoy yourself on Langkawi.

I plan to try and publicize it and encourage people to go because I think debate can have a role to play in exposing the inadequacies of the current war system. And I understand Langkawi rocks!